La Vida Hospitality Group, operator of Nage, Root Gourmet, and Big Chill Surf Cantina near Rehoboth Beach, is broadening its culinary horizons in the Cape Henlopen region, with a new brewpub in the works.

The brewpub, called The Crooked Hammock, is on track to open this summer off Kings Highway in front of the Beach Plum Dunes apartment complex near Lewes, according to co-owner Rich Garrahan.

The brewpub concept has been a five-year dream of Garrahan's. The property that would be the right fit for his vision became available in the last year. Being tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Coastal Highway was key, he said.

"We wanted to find a place that was secluded enough to have a backyard feel, but with space and visibility to make it accessible," he said.

Food and beer made in house will complement each other. The food menu will have fresh fish, meats on a stick and fresh salads, he said.

The Crooked Hammock will take a similar approach to beer as its brethren at Nage, where food and cocktails are made from scratch, he said.

"There's artistic expression with products that we serve," he said. "Investing in a brewery, it just gives us another way to express our creativity."

The seven barrel brew house will brew beer exclusively for the restaurant, he said, adding it's possible the beer could also be found in fellow La Vida restaurants. A draft system would allow for 12 beers at a time, he said. The bar would be built around the brewery, to give patrons a first-hand look at what's being brewed.

While Garrahan would not delve into the details of the individual beers themselves, five — four year round brews and a seasonal — are planned to be available when the brewpub opens, he said.

He described the brand of beer as one that embraces the idea of stepping away from the craziness of life — approachable, easy drinking and lighter style beers, not full bodied or overly hopped.

"Our beer is going to be like a hammock in a bottle," he said.

Garrahan believes the area is ready for restaurants to brew their own beer.

"I think there's a new awareness and appreciation of beers and the bigger market squashed that and wasn't delivering that to the public for a lot of years," he said. "Now that people are seeing there's an ability to do that on a craft level and be successful and compete with the bigger beers, it's just changing people's expectations for what they're looking for when they go out to a restaurant."

Construction work has begun and Garrahan hopes the brewpub will start to come to form in the coming weeks.